


Pretty Good Year

by HolmesApothecary



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, New Year's Eve, SO MUCH FLUFF, Tenderness, boys falling in love, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 11:18:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20705120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolmesApothecary/pseuds/HolmesApothecary
Summary: Patrick felt different, tired and weary from an emotional trip, but settled—resolute to move into the next year with purpose in this town that was now his.Or Patrick learns to be brave.





	Pretty Good Year

**Author's Note:**

> This came about when I wondered what if Patrick and David's interrupted birthday dinner never went anywhere? What if it took just a little bit longer for them to take the leap? 
> 
> Thank you to Hullomoon for the beta!

The buzzing excitement in the street was growing louder as time inched towards midnight. An unseasonably mild New Year’s Eve had relocated the town’s New Year’s celebration from the cafe out into the warm (at least for winter) night air.

Twyla was still walking around making sure drinks were topped, as people dodged her raisins. Roland regaled Bob with some tall tale under the street lights as Mr. Rose looked on, rolling his eyes. There was music playing from somewhere and a few couples, including a newly reunited Ted and Alexis, swayed in the intersection. Feelings of new beginnings were definitely in the air.

Patrick took in the sights and sounds of celebration around him. Of this town that he had embraced over the past year and that had embraced him enthusiastically in return. It still had its quirks, its oddities, but Schitt’s Creek had been just what he didn’t know he was looking for when he packed up his car all those months ago. Leaving behind his life, his family, and his confused ex-fiancée.

The ex-fiancée was, at least, confused no more. A trip home for Christmas had cleared the air. Patrick finally able to articulate why he could never make it work, never love her as he should. It had been hard and sad and liberating. And with a parting hug, and Rachel’s parting advice to go after exactly what he wanted, that chapter of his life was closed.

The talk with his parents had been more difficult. They were still hurt over his quick departure and limited communication this year. He was still hesitant and nervous even though he was determined to make things right between them. That is until Christmas Eve, as they sat by the fire and he just blurted it out. Not exactly the calm, collected way he planned to tell his parents he was gay, but in the end, he got the response he hoped for. There were tears, hugs and hard questions, but they all came away understanding each other so much more. They were closer—the gap between them closing, slowly but surely.

Patrick stretched his arms above his head where he sat on the steps of the Apothecary. He felt different, tired and weary from an emotional trip, but settled—resolute to move into the next year with purpose in this town that was now his.

As children ran by with sparklers, he felt a familiar body gingerly sit down beside him, mindful of the dusty steps.

“Not joining in the general merriment?” David snarked.

“Are we doing merriment?” Patrick laughed.

“Shush, I’ve spent too many days with my mother this holiday season.”

“Mmm, I’m sure you all were just bombilating with holiday spirit.” Patrick’s Moira impression was improving after months of practice.

David gave him a withering look.

“Anyway.”

The two men lapsed into silence, taking in the party once more. It was a comfortable silence with an undercurrent of...something...something electric that had been there since that first day, that first left voicemail. It had been growing, changing, settling into them as they settled into their friendship and partnership. As the store grew, so did this feeling. The feeling that almost came to a head on David’s birthday, if not for Stevie’s appearance at dinner. The feeling that led Patrick up a mountain time after time and sent him home to have hard conversations with his family.

The feeling that suddenly settled into the easiest, warmest **thing** in Patrick’s chest as he took in the sight before him. David was uncharacteristically wrapped in color, perhaps a nod to the night. His sweater covered in bright flames. He was looking over the town and its cast of characters with an amused crook of his lips to the side. The town had seemed to grow on him this year as it embraced the store and their place along with it in the community.

David glanced away from the party and landed back on him once again. As Patrick took in this man who had turned his life upside down, the courage he needed to reach out and grab hold of that feeling settled deep in his bones.

David quirked an eyebrow, “What?”

Patrick was vaguely aware the town was beginning to get loud—it was almost midnight.

“David, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

Patrick swallowed hard and reached a hand out between them.

“Can I hold your hand?”

David looked confused, but then...then Patrick saw him realize exactly what he meant. Months ago, after Ivan got up at their second open mic night and declared his love for Twyla, David had remarked quietly that it was one of the most romantic things he’d seen in person. And in an even quieter voice, maybe just to himself, he had said, “No one ever did something like that for me. Fuck, no one ever even held my hand in public.”

He’d brushed it off and walked to lock the door for the night, but Patrick had kept that conversation with him as if waiting for this moment.

People were loudly counting down around them. Patrick waited for an answer—he could wait days, years, a lifetime for David Rose.

David looked into his eyes and Patrick saw that feeling, that great big, wonderful feeling, staring right back at him. And then he felt the warm weight of his friend’s hand envelope his own.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!”

The chorus of voices surrounded them, but they kept looking at each other. David squeezed his hand, hard. Patrick felt his face break into a grin and his neck go red. They were really doing this.

“Is this, I mean...is this ok…”

Patrick didn’t get to finish his sentence as David’s lips collided with his. Warm, soft, and bold—there was nothing tentative about David Rose kissing Patrick Brewer for the first time.

Patrick leaned in, ghosting his unoccupied hand across the soft skin of David’s cheek, reveling in finally...finally.

The loud sound of a cork being popped brought them back to their surroundings and broke them apart. Twyla must have found the real stuff it seemed.

David looked steadily at Patrick, reaching forward to run his thumb across his now pink bottom lip.

“Thank you, Patrick.”

He was surprised, “For what?”

“For being brave. For holding my hand.”

And as Patrick looked back at him, this feeling, this love, he felt was everywhere—between them, connecting them, leading them into the next year.

He leaned back in towards David, pulling their still joined hands to rest on his chest, tugging him even closer than before.

“Happy New Year, David,” he whispered, lips grazing David’s as he spoke.

“Happy New Year, Patrick.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [HolmesApothecary](https://holmesapothecary.tumblr.com/).


End file.
